Crutch.



PAU-:MED JUNE 9, 1993.

H. Muss.

GRUTGH. APPLICATION FILED APB. 6,' 1903.

R0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented J' une 9, 1903.

HENRY MAASS, OF JERSEY CITY, NEWT-JERSEY. s

CRUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'latent No. 730,466, dated June 9, 1903. Application and April 6,19035 sr'i'l No. 151.304. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY MAASS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson, State of New Jersey,

have invented certain new. and useful Im` provements in Crutches; and' I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to crutches, and

more particularly to the tips thereof; and it has for its object to provide a construction held yieldably projected'under all conditions, so that the same ease will be obtained as if al rubber tip were used and the tip will not be subject to the rapid wear of the rubber tip.

.In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a view showing a crutch embodying the present invention', the lower end of the crutch being in section to illustrate the arrangement of the parts. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the tubular sliding core of the ferrule. Fig. 3 is a view showing the flat end of the reversible tip.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a crutch 5, having a ferrule 6 of tubular form and into the upper end of which the lower end of the crutch proper is engaged,l

the ferrule being held in place by means of the transverse screws?. The tubular ferrule 6 projects downwardly below the lower end of the crutch proper, and this lower portion of the ferrule, or what may be termed the casing of the ferrule, is provided with opposite alining perforations 5'. In the lower portion of the casing of the ferrule is disposed a tubular core 9, which is slidable in the casing and is limited in its sliding movement by means of the transverse pin or screw 10, which is passed through the casing 6 and through the slots 8, the core beingl thus permitted a longitudinal movement equal to the lengths ofthe slots 8. When the core is moved in one direction to its limit, its lower end projects from the lower end of the casing 6, and this lower projecting end of the core is interiorly threaded to receive the threaded cylindrical tip 1l, which is removably engaged in the core by screwing into the lower end of the'latter.

One end of the tip ll is flat, as shown at 12, and above this dattened portion is formed angular, as shown at 13, to receive awrench for rotating it into and out of engagement with the core 9, this dat end of thetip beingl designed for use indoors and outof doors in fine weather. When the streets are slippery, there is danger of the crutch slipping, and for this reason the opposite end of the tip 1l is provided with a spike 14, at the base of which is the angular portion 15, which is adapted to receive `a wrench, and it will be `understood that the tip `may be engaged in the core to project either end thereof, as may be desired.

Tohold the .core 9 at the outerlimit of its movement, with the tip projected from the end of the ferrule-casing, a block 15, of rubber, is disposed within the casing 6 between the lower end of the crutch and the upper .closed end of the core, and as the core is free to move longitudinally inthe casing the rubber filling or cushion serves to absorb the crutch being as easy upon the user at all times as if a rubber tip were employed, while the tip is not subjected to the rapid wear ot a rubber tip. l In4v practice modiicatious'cf the speciiic construction shownl maybe made and any suit- 'able materials and proportions may be used -for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is--V p y 1. A crutch having a tubular ferrule at its lower end, a' core slidably engaged in the lower end of the ferrule, a cushion disposed between the inner end of the core and the ICQ adjacent end of the crutch proper, means for limiting the sliding movement of the core and for holding the core at all times in contact with the cushion, and a reversible tip removably engaged with the core.

2. A crutch comprising Aa body portion, a tubular ferrule disposed upon the lower end of the body portion and having longitudinal slots at diametrically opposite points, hollow core slidably engaged in the lower end of the ferrule and projecting therefrom, a pin passed transversely through the ferrule and through the slots of the core,a cushion disposed between the inner end of the core and the end HENRY MAASS.

Witnesses:

EMIL SCHUMANN, BERNARD F. SCHLEY. 

